teeter

1 of 2

verb

tee·​ter ˈtē-tər How to pronounce teeter (audio)
teetered; teetering; teeters

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move unsteadily : wobble
b
: waver, vacillate
teetered on the brink of bankruptcy
2
: seesaw

teeter

2 of 2

noun

Examples of teeter in a Sentence

Verb The pile of books teetered and fell to the floor. She teetered down the street in her high heels.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
The playoff hopes of the defending NBA champions were already teetering when Jaylen Brown, of the Boston Celtics, lost the basketball with just over three minutes remaining in Game 4 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Sean Gregory, Time, 13 May 2025 If the avocados are soft and teetering on the edge of being too soft, keep them away from other produce. Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 May 2025
Noun
When the hip-hop figures appear, the scene teeters toward being a touch too earnest. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025 Once seen as unbeatable, the military today teeters on the brink of collapse. Ye Myo Hein, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for teeter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English titeren to totter, reel; akin to Old High German zittarōn to shiver

First Known Use

Verb

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teeter was in 1844

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teeter. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

teeter

verb
tee·​ter
ˈtēt-ər
1
a
: to move unsteadily
teetered on the edge and fell over the side
2
teeter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on teeter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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